Abstract: The records (1969-1985) of the Society for Spanish and Portuguese Studies document the
Society's administrative and program activities for the promotion and support of
historical scholarship and research in Iberian history and related fields. The material
includes correspondence, conference programs and papers, meeting minutes, financial and
tax records, and a microfilm of six volumes of the Society's BULLETIN, 1969-1981. The material is arranged in three series:
1) GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 2) ANNUAL
CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS and 3) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL.

Physical location: For current information on the location of these
materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Language:
English.

Administrative Information

Access

Researchers must first obtain permission in writing from the General Secretary of the
Society, whose name and address are listed in the current issue of the Bulletin.

The Society for Spanish and Portuguese Studies was formally established at Wesleyan
University in Middletown, Connecticut, on April 19, 1969, during the Symposium on the
Spanish Republican Emigration of 1939. This symposium was organized by Clara E. Lida
(Wesleyan University), Carlos Blanco Aguinaga (University of California, San Diego),
Edward Malefakis (Northwestern University), Nicolas Sanchez-Albornoz (New York
University), and Iris M. Zavala (State University of New York, Stony Brook). At a meeting
composed of historians and public attendees, the group voted to establish a Society with
the mission of promoting historical scholarship and research in Iberian history and
related fields. The members of the organizing committee became the Society's first
Executive Council for 1969-1970 and voted to add two more members, Thomas Glick
(University of Texas, Austin), and Juan Marichal (Harvard University). Thomas Glick was
editor of the NEWSLETTER (later re-named the BULLETIN), the Society's publication, and
Clara E. Lida was the first General Secretary.

The Society for Spanish and Portuguese Studies establishes awards for outstanding work in
the field and holds an annual conference in the spring. Since 1978, the Society has
occasionally held panel discussions at the annual meeting of the American Historical
Association.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The records (1969-1985) of the Society for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies
document fifteen years of the professional organization's activities and include
correspondence, conference programs and papers, meeting minutes, financial and tax
records, and a microfilm of six volumes of the Society's BULLETIN, 1969-1981. The records
span the period 1969-1985, occupy 1.6 linear feet and are arranged in three series: 1)
GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 2) ANNUAL CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS and 3) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL.

SERIES 1: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE

The CORRESPONDENCE is arranged chronologically and reflects the administrative concerns
of a professional association including membership, funding sources and program planning.
The majority of letters are by the Society's officers during this period--Douglas W.
Foard, Ellen G. Friedmann, Carla Lida, Marvin Lunenfield, Carla R. Phillips, David
Ringrose, Joan C. Ullman, and Douglas Wheeler--in contact with their colleagues, and the
Society's members, regarding conference attendance, travel plans, program topics, and
funding sources. There are also letters from, among others, Julio Caro Baroja, Raymond
Carr, J.H. Elliott, Gabriel Jackson, Juan Linz, Stanley Payne, and Pierre Vilar.
Correspondence is also found in SERIES 2.

SERIES 2: ANNUAL CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS

Arranged chronologically, the CONFERENCE series contains draft and final programs,
correspondence regarding topics, speakers, venues, funding, and occasional typescript
copies of papers presented at the annual conferences held each spring. As an affiliate of
the American Historical Association, the Society also held meetings, social gatherings or
presented panel discussions at the winter meetings of the American Historical
Association. Material from these sessions is filed prior to the Society's spring
conference.

SERIES 3: MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL

This series contains the Society's constitution and minutes of the first meeting, a news
release, promotional and reference material, financial and tax status documents and a
microfilm of the Society's BULLETIN, (originally NEWSLETTER), 1969-1981. It is arranged
alphabetically by topic.